Hidden in the quiet western folds of the Cumbrian Pennines, High Cup Nick is a colossal, ice-carved canyon rimmed by the dark dolerite columns of the Great Whin Sill. It remains one of Britain's most spectacular geological features—delivering quiet solitude, ancient basalt crags, and sweeping views across to the distant Lake District fells.
High Cup Nick
📍 North Pennines AONB
Distance14.6 km
Duration04:00 hrs
Elev Gain+542 m
Elev Lost-545 m
Date
27 April 2013
Starting Point
Dufton
Difficulty
Moderate
Pace / Gear
3.7 km/h — Full day pack
Highlights
High Cup Nick
🗺️ Interactive Route MapPinch or use wheel to zoom
High Cup Nick really is a hidden gem. It’s the kind of place you only find if you set out with clear intent—a geological masterpiece carved into the Cumbrian Pennines, tucked away at the head of a colossal U-shaped valley and shielded from view by sentry-like hills. Remarkably, although the famous Pennine Way passes directly along its dramatic rim, you can easily find yourself completely alone in this vast arena, even on a warm summer’s day. But more on that later.
We pencilled this walk in after a partly disappointing week in the Lake District, resulting in a very wet walk up Helm Crag and a disappointing abandonment of the Helvellyn ridge. As we were all heading southwards, the detour to our starting point in the village of Dufton was a welcome respite from the Bank Holiday traffic. Dufton is well served by a large, free car park, which is the perfect place to start this circular route.
The road leading out of Dufton
The rolling Pennine foothills
Overall, a fair climb is required to reach High Cup Nick, with around 600 m of total ascent. This, though, is tackled steadily over a number of miles along the Pennine Way as it climbs a stony track out of Dufton. The weather was perfect—a combination of floating white clouds and brilliant blue skies. After a mile or so, we reached the pass between Dod Hill and Harthwaite, two of the many smaller foothills of the Pennines.
Pennine Way footpath sign
The track as it climbs towards Peeping Hill
Dufton Pike presents food for thought
It was obvious by now that the full spectacle of High Cup would not reveal itself until the very last moment—my absolute favourite feature of any hill walk. While so much of the Cumbrian landscape is special, there is nothing quite like the drama of a 'big reveal', and this was shaping up to be one of the finest in the country. To top it off, sweeping views back toward the distant Lake District fells accompanied us almost every step of the way—a magnificent backdrop to an already incredible walk.
The main track ends at a large sheepfold
Murton Pike and the entrance to High Cup
Past Dod Hill, the track continues its steady climb, steepening slightly as it contours beneath Peeping Hill—an appropriately named grassy mound perched on the flanks of Blackstone Edge, looking out across the Eden Valley. A sequence of rocky outcrops and rolling contours keeps High Cup hidden until the very last second. It isn't until you reach the high path directly above High Pots that the landscape suddenly falls away, revealing the chasm in all its glory.
One last climb before....
....all is revealed
High Cup is a classic U-shaped valley, formed by the steady erosion of a glacier in the last Ice Age. What sets it apart, though, is the abrupt cliff of rock that lines the rim at the head of the valley, and to explain it requires a very brief lesson in geology.
Around 295 million years ago, a thinning of the Earth's crust allowed molten rock to be thrust upward from deep within the mantle as a series of igneous intrusions. Unable to reach the surface, this liquid magma forced its way between existing layers of bedrock. As it cooled and solidified, it formed a massive sheet of dark dolerite up to 80 m thick beneath much of northeast England: the Great Whin Sill. As the rock cooled, it contracted and cracked into the distinctive vertical, columnar joints visible today. Famous coastal strongholds like Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh, and Lindisfarne Castles—along with key stretches of Hadrian's Wall—all take strategic advantage of the natural cliffs formed by this resilient sill. Here at High Cup Nick, it is the dark, columnar edge of the Whin Sill that lines the rim of the trough.
High Cup Nick
The path continues towards the head of the valley, edging closer to the considerable fall into the valley bottom 300m below. The narrowest part, aptly called Narrow Gate, squeezes between the valley rim and Hannah's Well, a spring that forms the source of Strands Beck, one of the many feeders of High Cup Gill. Beyond this, the path widens considerably allowing you to walk as close to or as far from the edge as you wish.
The path narrows at Narrow Gate
A number of small stream crossings are required
Strands Beck as it heads to oblivion
Sara getting a move on
With the jaw-dropping scenery unfolded before us, we paused for lunch before continuing around the rim to the actual 'Nick'—the narrow V-notch and waterfall at the head of the valley where our scramble into the floor of High Cup Gill would begin. This vantage point offers an incredible overview of the entire glacial valley, a sweeping vista I made the absolute most of with some panoramic photo-stitching. As you start down the rocky path, the cracked, columned precipice of the Great Whin Sill towers overhead—a sheer, brooding presence and truly one of Britain's finest geological wonders.
The Great Whin Sill caps High Cup
Sara makes her way towards High Cup Nick
The Great Whin Sill
High Cup is all its glory
High Cup Gill
High Cup Gill
The route towards the valley floor
The Whin Sill aside, the scramble down the fallen rocks is a bit awkward, but certainly not beyond the ability of most walkers. After dropping down into the valley, there was a noticeable increase in warmth thanks to the shelter provided by the high crags. Alternatively, instead of descending directly into the valley bottom, a right of way continues around the southern arm of the scar before dropping down Middle Tongue to join the route we were on.
The towering columns of the Great Whin Sill
The rock layer stretches all the way along the valley
Taking a quick break amongst the boulders
The eroded remains of the Whin Sill
Following our clamber down the boulders, we faced a long, slightly soggy walk alongside High Cup Gill. The right of way is marked on the map for all to see, but I'll use the term 'path' loosely. Ultimately, though, there is little doubt as to which way to go given the enclosure of the valley walls. After what seemed like an eternity of walking, we finally reached the farm at Harbour Flatt and the quiet road that leads back into Dufton.
The valley of High Cup looking back towards High Cup Nick
High Cup
High Cup Gill
The increasingly boggy path leading out of the valley
An unnamed hill guards the entrance to High Cup
The final stretch follows the quiet tarmac lane back into Dufton, with distant, familiar views of the Lake District fells accompanying much of the stroll. While tarmac pounding is rarely the highlight of a fell walk, it only feels mundane because it follows the sheer geological drama of High Cup Nick—a hard act for any path to follow!
The shapely Murton Pike
The lane leading back to Dufton
In the end, words only go so far—High Cup is a landscape you simply have to stand above to truly comprehend. Photographs capture the sheer scale, but feeling the mountain wind as you look down into that vast basalt trough is something else entirely. It completely redeemed our earlier cancelled plans, delivering one of the finest outings in the fells. For those seeking a bigger challenge, extending the loop along the opposite rim or tackling the conical peak of Dufton Pike makes for a magnificent full-day expedition. Get it on your hit list—you won't regret it.
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